Olga Kern, who won the Cliburn competition a few years ago, is a huge talent, a fierce lady at the piano! Her interpretation of a Samuel Barber fugue left me stunned!Maybe a bit hard sound, though.
Ron Turini (see above) - from seeing him play Rachmaninoff, Chopin, Schumann, .... he has made several recordings but for some reason I've never listened to any. When he plays (at school) the music is just so simple, not ostentatious, but can be very moving. Some of his performances I thought most memorable were (aside from part the Rachmaninoff 3rd concerto, in masterclass) his sight-reading of a suite by one of Bach's sons, and the A-flat major impromptu (the slow, chordal one - never played as it's considered too boring) - both just SANG in a way I can't describe. He is neither an old-fashioned pianist with no respect for notes/scores nor (of course) a modern technical machine - just Ron Turini, a pianist from the Golden Age.
Eldar Nebolsin.A very young pianist, assistant chamber music proffesor at the Reina Sofia. He has two CDs with Decca which are phenomenal. He is probably one of my favorite pianists ever.
Ronald Turini is the man.I heard about Ronald Turini from my ex piano professor. She worships so much about Turini’s playing. I finally had a chance to witness the phenomenon. One summer Turini was playing Schubert Sonata Op. 120 at Algonquin music camp. The recital took place in a lobby with a small Young Chang piano. When he played the piece, we (students) were electrified. The sound was gorgeous, very simple, exquisite and unbelievably moving: so sincere and pure. Some of the comments right after the recital were like (students from Manhattan, Peabody, Eastman music schools) “He made a Young Chang sound like a Steinway.” “I just fall in love with his playing”, “For a moment I thought we were in Utopia”.It is easy to impress people by loud, fast and banging passages but to play a simple passage so touching that really takes a tremendous craftsmanship, respectful personality, enormous imagination and sensibility to blend them together in the music. Turini is the pianist of the pianists.Later when I heard him play Dvorak quintet, it was a totally different phenomenon. The fast, agitated passages came out in one breath so resplendent and passionate. The give and take, the conversations between the members of the quintet were so projected and convincing. The ensemble that night was immaculate, truly memorable. Turini is indeed a great pianist and interpreter with great respect to the composer’s intention.
Byron Janis
DUDLEY MOORE (I'M NOT JOKING)
To many jews, indeed. (As Always).
Topic: Unknown Great Pianists 